The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-24

ing steadily at him as he played, and
10 her eyes as she looked there
was a curious deep pain. The soft
music filed the room. The cool air
came in through the open windows.
and bore with it the scent of the
flowers in the balcony. And Percy
played on, choosing soft, dreamy
thines to suit the hour. Princess
Popp@a stood looking at him and
taking in his bright young face, with
its healthy sunburn, his frank eyes
that lent themselves 30 easily to
mirth, his small, close cropped head,
that rested so nobly on the strong
throat. He looked up suddenly and
met that look of pain. A long,
breathless gaze passed between them.
His fingers ceased to play, and the
Princess gave low cry and buried
her face in her hands.
u cannot do i'll" she cried bro
kenly, II cannotl"
"Popp@al" Percy said in low
voice. "Poppaal" :.
Hush, she cried. For the love
Of heaven, do not say more. for my
sake, for your own, and for your sis
ter'sl Matters are bad enough, God
knowsl Do not make them worse"
She put her hand to her throat and
tore at her draperies that she might
breathe. She was white as her dress,
and her eyes we're uunaturally bright.
She spoke in quick, short sentences,
and with no foreign accent. She
sank down upon low chair.
! am llel" she said, dosgedly-
"a lie from beginning to end | am
Enelish-I am no princess. My name
is Mary Vereker, and my husband is
now on the continent somewhere.
He is hiding from the police. lie
is under suspicion Of being con-
eerned in a great jewelry robbery in
Paris. L may mention that he is
gully, and that l am involved in it
too. There, you see what | am. II
Is well you said no more. All how
strange II all isl How strange that
l should turn coward now But |
cannot ipjure you. You have been
very good to me, and it was when 1
had you in my power that knew
that the task was beyond me. You
trusted me, aud how | meant TO re-
pay you'll There is your key" she
went on in leaden voice. | took
it from your buneh when you lent it
to me just now, and | substituted
another. Tonight | meant to have
taken your mothers diamonds"
Percy, who had beeo staring at her
in sheer anasement,now gave sharp
cry.
Miss Hanbury did not trust me.
She did well; but you-you we're so
good to me, SO friendly, aud SO kindi
IL seems passing strange does Il not,p
she continued, ito have laid so deep
a plan, and then, in the moment. Of
succession | had learnt from'you
the Whereabouts of the diamonds,
and l had secured the key-to be-
come weak and to fall But you
could not hurt. | will tell you few
things more, aud then you must 70,
and j shall never see you again. My
husband is q gambler and a roue. l
made his Acquaintance when | was
at school Ia Paris. was sixteen,
and he persuaded me TO elope with
him. was an orphan. l had few
friends. For the last twelve years
we have travelled from one city 70
another on the continent. / have
mixed with roues aud blacklegs and
the doubtful women who are their
associates. The odds we're against
me. L became as bad as
my set. We met Mrs. Bedford at
Monte Carlo some weeks ago. She
broke the bank. Myhusbsnd helped
her TO choose the diamonds, and we
formed scheme to steal them. She
had not told your stepiather about
them, and she said she intended to
give them TO her son 10 keep for her.
Ii was not difficult then 10 find out
all about you. She showed me your
photograph then, and il was from
that ! recognized you. Nirginie, q
confederate, came over and took this
fat. IL has all been very simple.
The rest you know. There, you have
heard my disroputable story. You
know now who and what am.
She stopped, aud bitter cry came
from her lips. Percy was silent.
He was very pale. lie felt dazed
with the horror OF what he had
heard.
Mrs Vereker threw herself to the
ground and buried her face in the
cushion of chair. Her hair hung
tangled about her. She sobbed Tor
some moments, then she raised her
eyes, full OF misery, 10 his.
Go now, she said, and, II you
can, pity me. | have had few
chances, and fate has been against
me. But | am not ungrateful, aud
till die | shall MT forget you.
There is some little good 10 me, mud
you have found IL. Tomorrow i
will 20. and you will never see me
again. But remember this, that II L
had met you sooner | might not have
been what | am"
She hid her face again. Percy
took her hand and kissed IL.
after ALL" he said 10 an unsteady
voice, the good has triumphed, aud
the face is key TO the SOU"
That night telegram was put into
the hands Of a man OF ordinary APP
pcarance, who spent his time watch
log the Princess Poppeas Fat in
Emperor's Mansions. IL ran as fol-
lows:
PAS, June 10.
Vereker caugh, at the Eden an
hour ago. Arrest the othors.-Corn-
hill Magazine.